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Two suspects were arrested Thursday night in the shooting death of a man who interrupted theft of a catalytic converter in Inglewood, police said Friday.
The two men were taken into custody at a motel in Gadahi.
Please update this page for the latest information on arrests.
The victim, identified by his family as Juan Sanchez, was headed to work when he heard the noise early Tuesday morning and witnessed the catalytic converter theft at his neighbor’s residence, a family representative told NBCLA. The victim was shot dead in the upper body before 3:30am in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue and died in the hospital, police said.
“You guys need to stop this, but this is because of the very devastating hundreds of dollars of metal,” said Susanna Sanchez, the victim’s sister.
Security camera videos captured a fatal encounter.
In a news release, police said the video showed the attackers leaving the scene from Gold’s 2002-2006 in a gold Toyota Camry four-door sedan with a front window and sunroof. The side fog lights of the driver of the car are out, police said.
The video also captured two men sought in the crime, police said.
Sanchez was her husband, father and new grandfather, the family said. They said he had just received a promotion for work and wanted to arrive earlier that day.
“There’s no bones in his body. He gives you a shirt on his back. I mean literally a stranger,” said Sanchez’s brother-in-law, Carlos Guzman.
Sanchez’s murder left space not only for his family but also for his community.
“It’s hard for anyone to believe it,” said Sanchez’s son, who doesn’t want to be on camera. “It definitely left a lot of free space in our hearts.”
Catalytic converters are popular targets for thieves as they are rich in precious metals that can be resold. In May 2024, “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor was killed when he met a burglar in downtown Los Angeles trying to steal a catalytic converter in a car.
Catalytic converter theft is not uncommon, but Englewood Police Captain Neil Cochran says it’s been several years since it was deadly in Englewood.
“I don’t know what’s behind it or why people are shooting when people are stealing, but the warning to the public is not just that you think it’s worthless to them,” Cochran said.
Photos and information provided by Inglewood Police Station.
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